


It Will Consume Them

by CalistaRouge



Series: Ineffable Husbands 2019 [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beelzebub is tired, Fallen Angel Aziraphale (Good Omens), Gabriel is a piece of shit, God is quiet, Heaven & Hell, Hurt Crowley, Hurt/Comfort, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), M/M, Nonbinary Beelzebub (Good Omens), Protective Crowley, The Ineffable Plan (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 00:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20055034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalistaRouge/pseuds/CalistaRouge
Summary: He often asks himself if he is worthy of love. The trauma of Falling and being rejected out of Heaven by the Holy Hosts left much to be desired on his psyche. He, on the other hand, asks himself if he is worthy of forgiveness. The memory of almost being executed permanently weighs heavy on the back of his mind.They live in fear, they live in guilt.But one day, they can live in love.





	It Will Consume Them

"Angel, please," Crowley whispered in Aziraphale's ear, "Don’t do this, don’t- I can’t- please-"

"But I _want_ to, Crowley," He says, breath tickling the demon's neck, "I’ve waited far too long to do this, I wasted so much of our time and for that, I’m so sorry, my dear. Fear has kept me away from you for far too long, I almost lost you that day, and I was prepared for the worst."

“I’m tired of being afraid. I’m tired of dancing around you, around _us_, we’re free from them but it doesn’t feel like it. Darling, look at me.” He tilted Crowley’s face with a gentle hand on his cheek, pleading with his eyes, "I _want_ this, don’t you too, my dear?"

Crowley shook his head, a lump forming in the back of his throat as he tried to push his precious angel away, "But you'll _Fall_,” his voice breaking as he continued, “I can't let you Fall, angel, I don’t want that to happen to you, it’s not- it’ll be the worst, the worst thing you’ll ever feel. This- _it isn't worth the pain_. It’s _agony_, Aziraphale, _pure agony_… I can’t- I can’t let that happen to you."

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched and held his angel’s gaze, silently begging to anyone that he’ll listen to reason as he murmured, "We can keep things just the way they are now, angel. We’ve spent six thousand years together like this, eternity’s not that much longer. Things are fine just as it is. It’s not worth it. You don’t have to Fall."

_Please_

Tears now spill down the demon's cheeks freely, he couldn’t bear the thought of hurting his angel, but he couldn’t bring himself to move when Aziraphale gently cupped his face with both hands and wiped away his tears. Those soft hands stayed there, rubbing soothing circles onto his skin with his thumb.

“You _are_ worth it, Crowley.” Aziraphale whispered and he shivered at the angel’s words, “Yes, we have all of eternity together, Crowley, and I want to be by your side for all of it.”

“I want to be with you. Crowley, I want _you_.”

“You're worth any pain or hardship in Heaven or Hell, you’re worth all the books and fancy dinners and stars in the universe. You are worth it, Crowley."

He closed his eyes once more as the delicious words rushed over him, blanketing him in his angel’s love. He’d longed to hear those words from his angel, but at what cost?

"I'd Fall a thousand times over if it meant I could have you for eternity." Crowley cringed at that and tried to pull away, but Aziraphale held him fast, "My dear, please look at me." 

Crowley was a demon, he couldn’t sense virtues, but as he reluctantly opened his eyes and met Aziraphale's clear blue ones, he could practically feel the love in his angel’s gaze and he was starstruck. All that love and it was directed at him.

"I love you, Crowley," Aziraphale said, his voice barely above a whisper but to Crowley it was deafening. 

“I love you more than anything on Earth.” His lips parted but no words came, he was too overwhelmed by the angel’s love.

"Will you have me?"

Before Crowley could react, Aziraphale brought their faces together in a soft kiss. He flinched at first, then after a moment, he melted into the kiss and held onto Aziraphale’s waist nervously, like he would collapse at any moment now, and slowly kissed him back. They held each other close, kissing sweetly then deeply and hungrily, trying to convey six thousand years of love and adoration for the other in one single kiss.

All at once, it seemed as if time ceased to flow completely; the universe stopped moving, Earth stopped spinning, and everything within it stopped and held its breath to watch the angel and demon. All was still, or perhaps more fittingly, God was still? 

For once in Her entire existence, She was absolutely still, watching the angel and demon with rapt attention. Did She foresee this? Was this a part of Her Great Plan? Will She allow this?

Again, like every other time someone addressed Her after the incident in the Garden, the Almighty was silent.

However, Heaven seemed very keen on answering the last one in Her stead.

A loud _crack_ echoed through the room and as the two broke apart, Aziraphale glanced down and noted with mild curiosity the large red cracks spider-webbing across the floor he was standing on. Crowley looked up and squinted, unprepared for the sight of Aziraphale _glowing_ with Heavenly light. His beautiful wings have manifested and ethereal power and energy shone from his eyes, momentarily blinding Crowley. Aziraphale also noticed his immaculate wings gleaming behind him, as well as the realization that he could not _feel_ them.

"Aziraphale?"

With a great shudder, the angel’s eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed, unconscious, as his Heavenly aura disappeared, but he did not land.

"NO!" 

The ground crumbled beneath the once-angel, and he was Falling.

"Aziraphale!" Crowley yelled as he scrambled to save his angel, diving into the pit and manifesting his own wings to try to catch up to him, to grasp at his coat, his leg, anything. Aziraphale plummeted like a stone, arms and wings limp as he fell faster and faster into Hell, while Crowley fought against Heaven with all his being to save his angel from the inevitable inferno that will soon engulf him.

They fall for hours or seconds, Crowley trying desperately to reach out to his angel but failing each time he got close. After all, his imagination and willpower could only do so much against the entire forces of Heaven.

_God- someone, please, don't do this to me_

He could see the bubbling sulphur getting closer and closer below them, and he tried even harder to catch up to his angel, he could almost reach him, he was so _so_ close, if he could just grab his hand-

_Please let me save him_

His fingers just barely grazed Aziraphale’s as the two plunged into the boiling pool of sulphur. 

Aziraphale screamed. His celestial form was on fire as the sulphur burned away any trace of Heaven within him. Crowley bit back tears at the sound of his angel in pain, ignoring the sulphur scorching him as well. The burn was only slightly less agonizing this time; like Hell knew that it had nothing more to do to him. 

Fighting against the pain, Crowley grit his teeth and wrapped his arms around his angel and began pulling them towards land.

_I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry forgive me angel I'm so sorry_

He swam towards the nearest edge and rolled Aziraphale's limp form onto it. He pulled himself up a moment later and tried his best to get rid of the sulphur clinging to their skin, still too weak to do even a small demonic miracle. Afterward, he knelt beside his angel, surveying the damage, and choked back a sob. Aziraphale’s impeccable clothes were destroyed beyond repair, his body was smoking, and he was still unconscious.

"Oh, Aziraphale." Crowley held back tears as he took in the once pristine white hair and wings of his angel, now an uneven dark brown, like badly burnt wood, "I’m so so sorry, Aziraphale…” 

Crowley dreaded to see what the Fall did to his eyes, but he had to get them back to the surface. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he ran into Hastur or worse-

"My my, what a surprise to see you here, traitor, and by the Pool of the Fallen, no less."

Crowley tensed and whirled around to face Beelzebub. He spread his wings to hide Aziraphale, but his former boss’s eyes had already landed on the limp form behind him.

"Why it seems I've underestimated you, Crowley" The Prince of Hell mused, "I have to say, I’m quite impressed, you’re the first demon that’s ever caused an angel to Fall."

Crowley growled and but stayed in his place, he'd love nothing more than to claw Beelzebub’s face off, but he didn't dare leave Aziraphale’s side while he was vulnerable like this.

"Perhaps you haven’t gone completely native after all," Beelzebub narrowed their eyes, recalling the trick they played not long ago, "I wonder if Michael would mind coming down here and bringing some of that nice water with her again, hm?"

Crowley bristled and started thinking of any possible way they could escape this, but his mind was running blank. He couldn’t see them getting out of this one and mentally prepared himself to fight through all of Hell to get them back to Earth. 

He raised his wings and prepared to fly when a flash of lightning struck the ground beside Beelzebub. Crowley snarled and stood between them and Aziraphale, wholly prepared to fight both Beelzebub and the bloody Archangel that now stands proudly before him with a cheery look on his face.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Crowley spat venomously at Gabriel, who didn't pay the demon any mind, but merely glanced behind him and smiled with depraved satisfaction at Aziraphale's listless and abused form.

"Oh, just checking in to make sure he's really out of our hair. You know, can never be too sure with you demons, sorry Beelz." Gabriel answered, his expression practically manic, "But man, have I been waiting for so long to do that. It felt great! Throwing him out was the most fun I’ve had since the rebellion.”

He glanced at the demon beside him and grinned, “Well, I’m happy to say they're _your_ problem now, Beelz, have fun!"

And with another lightning strike, he was gone, just as quickly as he came.

Crowley turned back to Beelzebub with a murderous glare, "Well if you've come to kill us you might as well get on with it already."

"Hmmm no.”

“Wha- Wait- What? You’re? What? What do you mean ‘no’?” Crowley sputtered incredulously, “Is this some kind of trick? Oh, of course, you’re just gonna let us waltz right on out. _Seriously_?!”

They gave him an unimpressed look and replied, “Sorry to disappoint you, but yes. Unfortunately, you’re both my responsibility now, and I hate doing Gabriel favors.”

Then they loomed up towards Crowley, grabbed his tie and pulled him down until they were centimeters apart, and leveled him with a vicious glare of his own and a threatening hiss, “Listen close, because I’ll only say this once. I’m letting you two go, but if I find either one of you here again, I will personally see to it that you experience each and every form of torture and punishment ever conceived in all the nine circles until Hell freezes over, go it?”

Crowley nodded numbly and Beelzebub released his tie, saying calmly with a tight-lipped smile, “I’m glad we could come to an agreement, Crowley.”

And with that, they snapped their fingers and Crowley and Aziraphale disappeared from their sight.

Dagon materialized moments later and furrowed her brows together, “Why did you let them go? We could’ve killed them both right there!”

Beelzebub hummed in agreement, “Perhaps, but that would have been too easy, and it’s clearly what Gabriel wanted me to do.”

“But don’t we want that as well, my lord?”

“Yes, but like I said, too easy,” Beelzebub eyed the boiling sulphur and added, “We acted hastily before when the other side was still involved, but now that they’re not, I want to make them _suffer_.”

“What do you mean?” Dagon raised a brow in question, “Wouldn’t extinction be the most painful thing we could do to them?”

“Physically, yes, but that would be too quick and simple of a punishment for the chaos those two caused us. I wish to see them suffer for eternity,” They turned towards the lesser demon, “Do you know what will cause them the most pain, Dagon?”

“What?”

“Seeing the pain they caused the other every day,” They replied coolly, “They might forgive each other in the future, but they’ll never be able to forgive themselves for what they’ve done.”

“Their guilt will consume them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this? Pain? Yes. I've been going through stuff and have lots of messy baggage, but I wanted to keep writing for the bingo so this is what I've got. But really, I appreciate you taking the time to read this!
> 
> Fun fact: This prompt wasn't supposed to be angst, but I guess that's what happens when I think about prompt fills when my life's messy ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


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